Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03D—WIND MOTORS
  • F03D13/00—Assembly, mounting or commissioning of wind motors; Arrangements specially adapted for transporting wind motor components
  • F03D13/10—Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors
  • F03D13/126—Offshore
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03D—WIND MOTORS
  • F03D13/00—Assembly, mounting or commissioning of wind motors; Arrangements specially adapted for transporting wind motor components
  • F03D13/10—Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03D—WIND MOTORS
  • F03D13/00—Assembly, mounting or commissioning of wind motors; Arrangements specially adapted for transporting wind motor components
  • F03D13/10—Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors
  • F03D13/112—Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors of towers; of masts
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03D—WIND MOTORS
  • F03D13/00—Assembly, mounting or commissioning of wind motors; Arrangements specially adapted for transporting wind motor components
  • F03D13/20—Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
  • F03D13/2005—Masts or poles
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03D—WIND MOTORS
  • F03D13/00—Assembly, mounting or commissioning of wind motors; Arrangements specially adapted for transporting wind motor components
  • F03D13/20—Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
  • F03D13/25—Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors specially adapted for offshore installation
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F03D—WIND MOTORS
  • F03D13/00—Assembly, mounting or commissioning of wind motors; Arrangements specially adapted for transporting wind motor components
  • F03D13/20—Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
  • F03D13/25—Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors specially adapted for offshore installation
  • F03D13/256—Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors specially adapted for offshore installation on a floating support, i.e. floating wind motors
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
  • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
  • F05B2230/00—Manufacture
  • F05B2230/60—Assembly methods
  • F05B2230/61—Assembly methods using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
  • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
  • F05B2230/00—Manufacture
  • F05B2230/60—Assembly methods
  • F05B2230/61—Assembly methods using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding
  • F05B2230/6102—Assembly methods using auxiliary equipment for lifting or holding carried on a floating platform
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
  • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
  • F05B2240/00—Components
  • F05B2240/90—Mounting on supporting structures or systems
  • F05B2240/93—Mounting on supporting structures or systems on a structure floating on a liquid surface
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
  • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
  • F05B2240/00—Components
  • F05B2240/90—Mounting on supporting structures or systems
  • F05B2240/93—Mounting on supporting structures or systems on a structure floating on a liquid surface
  • F05B2240/932—Mounting on supporting structures or systems on a structure floating on a liquid surface which is a catamaran-like structure
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
  • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
  • F05B2240/00—Components
  • F05B2240/90—Mounting on supporting structures or systems
  • F05B2240/95—Mounting on supporting structures or systems offshore
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
  • Y02E10/70—Wind energy
  • Y02E10/72—Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
  • Y02E10/70—Wind energy
  • Y02E10/727—Offshore wind turbines

Definitions

• TITLE Assembly process for a floating offshore wind farm
• the invention relates to a method for assembling a floating offshore wind farm, for assembly in a body of water - generally at sea
• a floating offshore wind power plant comprises a wind turbine mounted on a floating structure, such a wind turbine comprising at least one mast fixed to the floating structure and composed of a stack of several mast sections, a turbine fixed to a top of the mast, and blades coupled to the turbine.
• the invention finds a favorite, and non-limiting, application for floating offshore wind power plants developing a power of at least 2.5 MW (MegaWatts), or even beyond with powers that can reach 12 MW, 15 MW, 20 MW or more.
• the floating structure also called a float
• various floating structures of the semi-submersible type are known, such as for example and without limitation:
• a floating structure comprising at least three columns (generally made of concrete and/or steel), each column comprising a non-submerged part and a submerged part, and connecting elements for rigidly connecting the columns to each other, as known from documents FR3093699, FR3093074, EP3342699, EP3546337, WO2019/034281 and WO2015120227; Where
• annular floating structure generally made of concrete and/or steel, for example of rectangular, square or triangular shape, as known from documents EP1106825, WO2019/106283 and EP2668090.
• the height of the mast can exceed 100 meters and can reach 120 meters for a power of 12 MW, or even 160 meters for a power of 20 MW, the mast sections can weigh from 30 to 200 tons, a turbine can weigh from 400 to 650 tons or even more, and each blade can weigh from 20 to 60 tons or more.
• the present invention aims to solve all or part of the aforementioned problems, by proposing a method for assembling a floating offshore wind farm which makes it possible to be less dependent on the constraints of the quay, with a reduced cost compared to the use of a quayside crane, regardless of the power of the floating offshore wind power plants (therefore regardless of the height and weight of the components of the wind turbine).
• Another object of the invention is to reduce the assembly time and thus allow faster production of the floating offshore wind farm.
• the invention proposes a method for assembling a floating offshore wind farm, for assembly in a body of water of at least N floating offshore wind power plants, N being an integer greater than or equal to 3, wherein each floating offshore wind power plant comprises at least one wind turbine mounted on a floating structure, such wind turbine comprising an assembly of several elements components including at least one mast fixed to the floating structure and composed of a stack of several mast sections, a turbine fixed to a top of the mast, and blades coupled to the turbine, this method of assembling a wind farm offshore floating comprising the following steps:
• the invention proposes to use one of the floating structures of the series as a support for a lifting device, which will allow the floating assembly structure to lift in harbor or at sea all or part of the constituent elements of the turbine, such as the blades and possibly the mast sections and the turbine depending on the capacity of the lifting gear present on the floating mounting structure.
• this solution is particularly interesting because it is based on a floating assembly structure which is extracted from a series of several floating structures manufactured on a large scale (depending on the size of the wind field), thus contributing to an economy of scale and thus to a reduced manufacturing cost of the floating mounting structure (cost diluted in the manufacturing cost of the at least N floating structures).
• this solution is just as interesting because it makes it possible to depend less, or even not to depend, on a quay to assemble the wind turbines on the receiving floating structures.
• each floating offshore wind power plant can comprise one or more wind turbines on its floating structure, in other words the floating structure supports one or more wind turbines.
• the lifting device can be used to mount at least one of the constituent elements of a wind turbine, or even of two or more wind turbines, depending on the number of wind turbines to be mounted on this receiving floating structure.
• the method according to the invention makes it possible to erect wind turbines in a place other than a port, in particular in a sheltered bay, a marine golf course such as a ria or a stranding zone or body of water generally in sea, closer to the place of the production site, thus reducing the transit times between the place of assembly and the place of production, which also reduces the weather risk and the overall economy of the project.
• the method comprises attaching a mast to the floating mounting structure, by stacking several mast sections among the plurality of mast sections, and in which the lifting device is fixed to the top of the mast provided on the floating mounting structure.
• the lifting device is fixed on a mast which has been assembled by stacking several mast sections, which makes it possible to mount the lifting device sufficiently high by using a wind turbine mast, with the advantage of making an economy of scale by using a mast produced on a large scale for the park, and thus reducing the cost of manufacture.
• the lifting device comprises a lifting structure having a sufficient height to lift and mount on the receiving floating structure all the constituent elements of the wind turbine.
• the floating assembly structure is equipped with a lifting device to lift the various elements such as turbine, mast, and blades.
• the mast and/or the lifting device can be mounted on the floating mounting structure by a "small" quayside crane of smaller size than a “big” crane conventionally designed to install a turbine on the quay.
• the economic interest is therefore to do away with a “big” quay crane allowing heavy loads to be lifted at great height.
• the weight and lowering of the load of the “small” crane being lower, the quay and its rear quay will need fewer reinforcements.
• At least one device lower spacing is interposed between the receiving floating structure and the mounting floating structure to maintain a minimum spacing.
• the bringing together of the floating mounting structure and the receiving floating structure can be done by moving one and/or the other of these two floating structures, for example by means of of a tug boat.
• the purpose of the lower spacing device or devices is to maintain the minimum spacing between these two floating structures and advantageously to limit the relative displacements between these two floating structures.
• the or each lower spacer device has a degree of freedom in translation in a vertical direction, in order to allow vertical relative movement between the two floating structures.
• the at least one lower spacer device is fixed beforehand on the floating mounting structure and is fixed on the receiving floating structure following the rimpedement with the floating mounting structure, thus making it possible to use the ( s) same lower spacing device(s) for the various receiving floating structures.
• the or each lower spacer device is fixed both to the floating mounting structure and to the receiving floating structure, which makes it possible to maintain these two floating structures together and thus lock degrees of freedom between the two floating structures to facilitate assembly on the receiving floating structure of the element(s) of the wind turbine from the floating assembly structure.
• the height and the angular sector of the lower spacing device(s) also make it possible to take up the relative forces between the two floating structures after mooring for wind and sea conditions, in the harbor or in the bay.
• At least one upper spacer device is fixed to the mast provided on the floating mounting structure, and is fixed to a mast erected on the receiving floating structure following the approximation of the floating assembly structure and the erection of such a mast on the receiving floating structure, thus making it possible to limit the relative displacements between these two masts.
• At least one upper spacer device is fixed to the lifting structure of the lifting device provided on the floating assembly structure, and is fixed to a mast erected on the structure floating receiving structure following the approach of the floating assembly structure and the erection of such a mast on the floating receiving structure.
• the or each upper spacer device is fixed both to the mast or the lifting structure provided on the floating mounting structure and to the mast of the receiving floating structure, which makes it possible to maintain solidarity and therefore parallel these two masts or the lifting structure and the mast.
• the or each upper spacer device has a degree of freedom in translation in a vertical direction, in order to allow relative vertical movement between the two masts.
• the at least one lower spacer device is equipped with at least one damper.
• the at least one upper spacer device is equipped with at least one damper.
• the damper can be a contact damper, in an elastically compressible material (for example rubber or equivalent) or according to an adjustable compressible structure (for example a compressible spring or a damping piston).
• an elastically compressible material for example rubber or equivalent
• an adjustable compressible structure for example a compressible spring or a damping piston
• a ballasting system is provided on the floating mounting structure to adjust a height of the lifting device when it is used to lift and mount on the receiving floating structure at least one of the constituent elements of the wind turbine.
• the floating assembly structure may thus have a controlled draft, for example of the order of 2 meters under the floating assembly structure, and the latter may use its own ballasting system to compensate for the tidal range or height of the tide. (difference in level between high tide and low tide of a tide) and also the effects of load transfers during lifting if necessary.
• ballast the floating mounting structure for heavy lifting that is to say beyond a predefined threshold, so as not to have parasitic forces in the spacer device(s). inferior.
• the lifting device is used to lift and mount on the receiving floating structure the blades of the wind turbine up to the turbine, after having previously mounted the mast and the turbine on said receiving floating structure.
• the lifting gear of the floating assembly structure to lift the blades up to the turbine mounted at the top of the mast provided on the floating receiving structure; it being noted that the mast and/or the turbine can have been erected by means of this same lifting device, or by another means (such as by means of a crane on the quay).
• the lifting device is used to lift and mount the mast of the wind turbine on the receiving floating structure, by gradually lifting and mounting the corresponding mast sections by means of the lifting device .
• the lifting device of the floating assembly structure it is possible to use the lifting device of the floating assembly structure to lift the mast sections and thus assemble a mast on the receiving floating structure; it being noted that the turbine and/or the blades can be mounted later using this same lifting device, or by another means (such as, for example, using a crane on the quay).
• the lifting device is used to lift and mount the turbine on the receiving floating structure, after having previously mounted the mast on said receiving floating structure.
• the lifting gear of the floating assembly structure to lift the turbine to the top of the mast provided on the receiving floating structure; it being noted that the mast may have been mounted by means of this same lifting device, or by another means (such as for example by means of a crane on the quay) and/or that the blades may be mounted subsequently by means of this same lifting device, or by another means (such as by means of a crane on the quay).
• At least one of the constituent elements of the wind turbine, intended to be lifted and mounted on the receiving floating structure by means of the lifting device, is stored beforehand on a storage arrangement provided on the floating structure disassembly.
• the floating assembly structure supports a storage arrangement which will make it possible to store on it all or part of the constituent elements of the wind turbine for the receiving floating structure, thus avoiding multiplying the round trips with the land area of storage.
• the floating assembly structure is brought beforehand to the edge of a quay or a storage barge in order to load onto the storage arrangement at least one of the constituent elements of the wind turbine, intended to be lifted and mounted on the receiving floating structure by means of the lifting device.
• the floating mounting structure is docked by a boat or a barge transporting at least one of the constituent elements of the wind turbine, intended to be lifted and mounted on the receiving floating structure by means of the lifting device, in order to load it onto the storage arrangement.
• the constituent element or elements of the wind turbine which is or are lifted and mounted on the receiving floating structure by means of the lifting device, is or are guided (s) along the mast provided on the floating mounting structure during lifting, by means of a guide rail fixed to said mast.
• Such a guide rail is advantageous for vertically guiding the lifting and stabilizing the constituent element(s) of the wind turbine.
• the lifting device comprises a lifting system driving in ascent/descent a lifting cable carried by a jib and coupled to an attachment element, so that the constituent element(s) of the wind turbine, which is or are lifted and mounted on the receiving floating structure by means of the lifting device, is or are hooked to said hooking element before being mounted.
• the lifting system can be a lifting winch, for example electric or electrohydraulic and/or with local or remote control.
• This hoisting system can be coupled to the hoisting cable for single strand lifting, or it can be coupled to the hoisting cable via a haul system for multi-strand lifting, depending on the load to be lifted.
• the jib also allows a load to be lifted above the top of the mast or lifting structure, which is practical for the turbine.
• this boom is orientable, that is to say movable in rotation along a vertical axis of rotation, and can optionally be raised/lowered, that is to say be movable in rotation along a horizontal axis of rotation.
• the lifting system is coupled to a slewing ring allowing rotation of the lifting device along a vertical axis.
• the attachment element is coupled to an attachment clamp with several degrees of freedom provided with an adjustment system allowing adjustments according to at least two degrees of freedom in rotation, and for example three degrees of freedom in rotation , and according to at least two degrees of freedom in translation.
• the receiving floating structure is placed on a bottom of the expanse of water or is kept floating and anchored on the bottom of the expanse of water during the use of the lifting device to lift and mount on said receiving floating structure at least one of the components of the wind turbine.
• the receiving floating structure can thus be ballasted and placed on the bottom of the body of water (for example the port or the bay), taking into account the tidal variations and the oceanographic and meteorological conditions, allowing this structure floating receiver to remain in place during the installation of its wind turbine, and also in the event of a storm before and after the installation of the wind turbine.
• the receiving floating structure can remain floating, while being anchored to the bottom of the body of water.
• the floating mounting structure is placed on the bottom of the body of water or is kept floating and coupled to the receiving floating structure during the use of the lifting device to lift and climb on said structure receiving floating at least one of the components of the wind turbine.
• the at least N floating structures are all manufactured on the basis of the same structure of the semi-submersible type.
• the floating offshore wind farm includes N floating offshore wind power plants and N floating structures are provided on the body of water, whereby the mounting floating structure is employed to mount on (N-1 ) floating structures receiving all or part of the components of the wind turbine to finally obtain (N-1 ) floating offshore wind power plants and, once the lifting and assembly operations by means of the lifting gear have been completed, the said lifting gear is removed from the floating mounting structure in order to allow the mounting of a wind turbine and thus obtain the N th floating offshore wind power plant.
• the floating mounting structure will be used to form the N th and last floating offshore wind power plant, by mounting its own wind turbine on it, this time by means of a lifting crane, such as a quayside crane.
• a lifting crane such as a quayside crane.
• two floating mounting structures are used, then one and/or the other of the two floating mounting structures could be used to form one or two floating offshore wind power plants.
• the lifting device is removed from the top of the mast provided on the floating assembly structure in order to allow a turbine and blades to be mounted on said top to form a wind turbine and thus obtain the N th floating offshore wind power plant
• the floating offshore wind farm comprises N floating offshore wind power plants and are provided with (N+1) floating structures on the body of water, so that the mounting floating structure is employed to mount on N structures receiving all or part of the component parts of the wind turbine to ultimately obtain the N floating offshore wind power plants and, once the lifting and assembly operations by means of the lifting gear have been completed, said floating assembly structure is stored in a predefined place.
• this floating mounting structure can for example be reused for the development of a new similar floating offshore wind farm or whose wind turbines are of the same height or lower. If necessary, the lower spacing device(s) may be adapted to take into account other types of floating structure.
• This floating mounting structure can also be used to carry out maintenance at sea on the floating offshore wind farm resulting from the process according to the invention, in particular in the event of damage to the wind turbine blades or to parts of the turbine.
• FIG 1 is a schematic perspective view of an implementation of an assembly method according to a first embodiment of the invention at the start of an assembly phase of a mast on a receiving floating structure , by means of a lifting device placed at the top of a mast provided on a floating mounting structure;
• FIG 2 is a schematic perspective view during the mounting phase of the mast on the receiving floating structure, following Figure 1;
• FIG 3 is a schematic perspective view during an assembly phase of a turbine at the top of the mast previously mounted on the receiving floating structure, by means of the lifting gear of the floating assembly structure, at the continuation of Figure 2;
• FIG 4 is a schematic view in perspective at the beginning of a phase of assembly of the blades on the turbine of the receiving floating structure, by means of the lifting gear of the floating assembly structure, following Figure 3;
• FIG 5 is a schematic perspective view during the assembly phase of the blades on the turbine of the receiving floating structure, following Figure 4;
• FIG 6 is a schematic perspective view during the assembly phase of the blades on the turbine of the receiving floating structure, following Figure 5;
• FIG 7 is a schematic perspective view at the end of the assembly phase of the blades on the turbine of the receiving floating structure, following Figure 6;
• FIG 8 is a schematic side view of an implementation of an assembly method according to a second embodiment of the invention, at the end of a phase of mounting a mast on a structure floating receiver, by means of a lifting device placed on a floating mounting structure;
• FIG 9 is a schematic side view during an assembly phase of a turbine at the top of the mast previously mounted on the receiving floating structure, by means of the lifting gear of the floating assembly structure, at the continuation of Figure 8;
• FIG 10 is a schematic side view at the end of a phase of assembly of the blades on the turbine of the receiving floating structure, by means of the lifting gear of the floating assembly structure, following the Picture 9.
• each floating offshore wind power plant 1 comprises a wind turbine 2 mounted on a floating structure 3;
• Figure 7 illustrating a floating offshore wind power plant 1 resulting from a first embodiment of such a process and
• Figure 10 illustrating a floating offshore wind power plant 1 resulting from a second embodiment of such a process.
• each floating offshore wind power plant 1 therefore comprises the wind turbine 2 mounted on the floating structure 3, where the wind turbine 2 comprises an assembly of several constituent elements 4, 40, 5, 6 including at least one mast 4 fixed on the floating structure 3 and composed of a stack of several mast sections 40, a turbine 5 fixed on a top of the mast 4, and blades 6 coupled to the turbine 5.
• This method comprises a step of supplying and arranging at least N floating structures 3 on the expanse of water 9. These floating structures 3 are all manufactured on the basis of the same structure of the semi-submersible type.
• the structure of the semi-submersible type comprises at least three columns 30, each column 30 comprising a non-submerged part and a submerged part, and connecting elements 31 for rigidly connecting the columns 30 to the to each other.
• the structure of the semi-submersible type comprises four columns 30, including a central column and three peripheral columns distributed around the central column and connected to the latter by the connecting elements 31.
• the method further comprises the steps of providing a plurality of mast sections 40 for assembling at least N masts 4 and of providing turbines 5 and blades 6 for at least N wind turbines 2.
• These constituent elements 4, 40, 5, 6 are stored in a storage space, for example on land, near a quay, or at sea, on a suitable storage barge.
• the method then comprises a step of selecting, among the at least N floating structures 3, at least one floating structure called 3M mounting floating structure, the other floating structures being called 3R receiving floating structures.
• the Figures all show the 3M mounting floating structure next to one of the 3R receiving floating structures.
• a step is first provided for attaching a 4M mast to the 3M floating mounting structure, by stacking several mast sections 40 from among the plurality of mast sections 40 stored on land or at sea. .
• the 4M mast on the 3M mounting floating structure be structurally modified, and in particular reinforced, with respect to the 4R masts provided on the 3R receiving floating structures.
• the 4M mast has the same height as the 4R masts.
• This step for fixing the 4M mast is followed by a step for fixing the lifting gear 7 on the top of the 4M mast provided on the floating 3M mounting structure.
• a step for fixing the lifting gear 7 on the top of the 4M mast provided on the floating 3M mounting structure At the top of the mast 4M, there can be provided a specific upper flange serving to fix a rotation flange of the turbine 5, and in this case it is possible that this lifting device 7 is adapted to also be fixed on such a top flange.
• This lifting device 7 may itself have a slewing ring or else a fixed orientation.
• a lifting device 700 to one or more columns 30 of the floating mounting structure 3M, where this lifting device 700 comprises a lifting structure 701 having a height sufficient to lift and mount on the receiving floating structure 3R all of the constituent elements 4, 40; 5; 6 of the wind turbine 2, in other words a height greater than the height of the wind turbine 2.
• This lifting device 700 can for example be in the form of a so-called articulated boom crane, where the lifting structure 701 is present in the form of an arrow articulated on one or more columns 30.
• This lifting structure 701 can include:
• This lifting structure 701 can be guyed on another column 30, by means of guys 702.
• the lifting device 7, 700 can comprise a lifting system driving up/down a lifting cable 70 carried by a jib 71 or by the lifting structure 701 and coupled to a hooking element 72, where this lifting comprises for example a lifting winch connected to a hydraulic unit, and the supply of this hydraulic unit can be done from a generator located at the level of the floating 3M mounting structure, on a column 30 and for example at the foot of the 4M mast.
• the lifting system can operate in single strand for lifting lighter loads, such as blades, and can operate in multiple strands, via a reeving system, for heavier loads, such as a turbine 5.
• jib 71 or the lifting structure 701 can be orientable, in other words it can pivot around a vertical axis, and for example around the axis of the mast 4M (which is vertical in position) and it can optionally also be raised/ lowered (i.e. it can pivot at its foot around a horizontal axis, so that the tip of the jib 71 or of the lifting structure 701 can be adjusted in height and therefore the load can be lifted more or less high). It is also conceivable that the jib 71 or the lifting structure 701 be of fixed inclination, in other words that it cannot be raised/lowered.
• the control/command of the lifting device 7, 700 to control the operations of lifting, orientation and possibly raising/lowering of the jib 71 or of the lifting structure 701, can be done locally near this last, or by remote control (wireless or wired) from a remote location.
• the method then includes the steps of attaching to the floating 3M mounting structure one or more lower spacing devices 80 and also a storage arrangement 82.
• Such lower spacers 80 are not shown in Figures 8 to 10 but may of course be present.
• the lower spacing device(s) 80 are provided on the sides of the floating mounting structure 3M, preferably at its non-submerged part, and their function is to maintain a minimum spacing with the floating receiving structure 3R, or even also to maintain the two floating structures 3M, 3R together during the following steps in order to have a fixed distance between the two floating structures 3M, 3R.
• two bottom spacers 80 are provided on columns 30 of the 3M mounting floating structure.
• an upper spacer device 81 on the 4M mast mounted on the 3M mounting floating structure.
• the lower and upper spacing devices 80, 81 can be provided with respective shock absorbers which will make it possible to limit the relative movements between the two floating structures 3M, 3R.
• the storage arrangement 82 is provided on top of the non-submerged part of the floating assembly structure 3M, and its function is to support for storing constituent elements of a wind turbine 2 such as mast sections 40, a turbine 5 and blades 6, not necessarily all at the same time depending on the size available.
• constituent elements of a wind turbine 2 such as mast sections 40, a turbine 5 and blades 6, not necessarily all at the same time depending on the size available.
• the constituent elements are in place on the storage arrangement 82, the latter are moored for example by means of links.
• This storage of constituent elements of a wind turbine 2 on the storage arrangement 82 will make it possible to minimize the round trips with the storage space, which is as a reminder on land or at sea.
• the method is continued with successive assembly phases of the wind turbines 2 on the 3R receiving floating structures, and the remainder of the description relates to an assembly phase of a wind turbine 2 on a 3R receiving floating structure.
• the assembly phase begins with a step of loading onto the floating assembly structure 3M, and in particular onto its storage arrangement 82, one or more constituent elements of a wind turbine 2.
• the constituent element or elements of the wind turbine 2 in other words effect a transfer of the element or elements components of the wind turbine 2 from the storage space to the floating structure of 3M assembly.
• This loading can take place by means of the lifting device 7 or a crane provided at the level of the storage space, therefore a crane on the quay or a crane on the barge.
• the floating assembly structure 3M is loaded with mast sections 40 suitable for mounting a mast 4 on the receiving floating structure 3R, and also with a turbine 5.
• the floating assembly structure 3M is loaded with blades 6, which serve once the mast 4 and the turbine 5 are mounted on the floating receiving structure 3R.
• the assembly phase is followed by a step of approaching the 3M assembly floating structure to the 3R receiving floating structure, and using the lifting gear 7,700 to lift and climb onto this receiving floating structure at least one constituent elements 4, 40, 5, 6 of the wind turbine 2.
• the receiving floating structure 3R is ballasted and placed on the bottom of the expanse of water 9 (for example on the bottom of a port or a bay) throughout the assembly phase, taking into account tidal variations and oceanographic and meteorological conditions ensuring that the 3R receiving floating structure remains in place under the installation conditions, or even in the event of a storm before and after wind turbine 2 has been installed.
• the receiving floating structure 3R is kept floating and is anchored to the bottom of the stretch of water 9 (for example to the bottom of a port or a bay) throughout the assembly phase.
• the assembly floating structure 3M is then towed to the receiving floating structure 3R and is coupled to the receiving floating structure 3R by means of the lower spacing device(s) 80, and the where appropriate also the upper spacer device 81 .
• the lower spacing device(s) 80 are interposed between the 3R receiving floating structure and the 3M mounting floating structure to maintain a minimum spacing. In this way, the floating mounting structure 3M is kept floating and it is coupled to the floating receiving structure 3R during the mounting phase by means of the lower and upper spacer device(s) 80, 81 .
• the lower spacer device(s) 80 are attached to the receiving floating structure 3R following the bringing together of the floating mounting structure 3M, thus securing the two floating structures 3M, 3R.
• the two lower spacer devices 81 are fixed to the columns 30 of the receiving floating structure 3R, and are thus interposed between the columns 30 of the mounting floating structure 3M and the columns 30 of the floating structure 3R receiver.
• the lower and upper spacing device(s) 80, 81 are provided with fixing means, such as for example fixing means by clamping, bolting, clamping, screwing, suction cup, etc.
• the device(s) lower and upper spacing 80, 81 are provided with indexing or centering means, such as for example a free end of concave shape complementary to the shape of the columns 30 and of the mast 4 respectively.
• the loads in the lower and upper spacing devices 80, 81 can be controlled and absorbed in real time to avoid overloads due to the floating 3M assembly structure which remains subject to the action of the wind and the swell.
• the 3M assembly floating structure thus has a ballasting system which is provided to both compensate for the tidal range, make it possible to maintain a substantially fixed draft (for example of the order of 2 meters under the 3M assembly floating structure ) and adjust a height of the lifting device 7 during its use to lift and mount on the receiving floating structure 3R the constituent element(s) of the wind turbine 2.
• the mounting phase includes the step of using the lifting device 7, 700 to lift and mount on the 3R receiving floating structure the components of the wind turbine 2 which are stored on the storage arrangement 82.
• the lifting device 7 is used to lift and mount on the receiving floating structure 3R the mast 4 of the wind turbine 2, gradually lifting and mounting the sections of corresponding mast 40 by means of the lifting gear 7, then to lift and mount the turbine 5 on the receiving floating structure 3R, at the top of the mast 4 previously mounted on the receiving floating structure 3R.
• the upper spacing device 81 can be fixed between the mast 4M and the mast 4, thus stabilizing the two masts 4, 4M to facilitate the centering and installation.
• the lifting device 7, 700 is used to lift and mount on the receiving floating structure 3R the blades 6 of the wind turbine 2 up to the turbine 5, after having previously mounted the mast 4 and the turbine 5 on this 3R receiving floating structure.
• the mast 4 and the turbine 5 may have been mounted on the floating receiving structure 3R according to the steps described above with reference to Figures 1 to 3, or else may have been mounted on the floating receiving structure 3R at the means of a crane, such as for example the same crane present on a quay which was used to mount the mast 4M and the lifting gear 7, 700 on the floating assembly structure 3M.
• a hooking clamp 74 to the hooking element 72, for example via slings 73, and to grasp and lift each blade 6 by means of this clamp.
• hooking 74 is advantageously a hooking clamp with several degrees of freedom, which is provided with an adjustment system allowing adjustments according to at least two degrees of freedom in rotation, and for example three degrees of freedom in rotation, and according to at least two degrees of freedom in translation, which is advantageous for correctly positioning and orienting the blades 6 on the turbine 5.
• the blade 6 and the hooking clamp 74 are lifted by the lifting gear 7, 700 up to the proximity of the turbine 5 located at the top of the mast 4.
• the associated lifting winch can advantageously be equipped with an optional swell compensation function to reduce the heaving motion of the floating 3M mounting structure if necessary.
• the blade 6 can then be inserted on the turbine 5 horizontally or inclined depending on the attachment clip 74.
• the blade 6 is therefore coupled to the turbine 5 and nuts are put in place to secure the blade 6.
• the blade 6 is held by the hoisting gear 7, 700 and the attachment clamp 74, until it is secured, with or without heave compensation, then the attachment clamp 74 is opened and disconnected from the blade 6 to be free to pick up another blade 6 stored on the storage arrangement 82.
• the lower and upper spacer device(s) 80, 81 are detached from the 3R receiving floating structure and the mast 4 , so that the 3M mounting floating structure is uncoupled from the 3R receiving floating structure.
• the 3M assembly floating structure can be towed to another 3R receiving floating structure and the assembly phase can be repeated for the other 3R receiving floating structures.
• the floating assembly structure 3M is brought closer to a quay on which a crane is provided (such as for example the same crane present on a quay which was used to mount the 4M mast and/or the lifting device 7, 700 on the 3M mounting floating structure) and, by means of this crane, the hoist 7, 700 is removed from the floating assembly structure 3M, and in particular in the first embodiment the lifting gear 7 is removed from the top of the mast 4M in order to allow climbing on its top, still by means of this crane, a turbine 5 and blades 6.
• the floating assembly structure 3M will be used to form a last and N th floating offshore wind power plant 1.
• the floating offshore wind farm will therefore comprise N floating offshore wind power plants 1, including (N- 1) from 3R receiving floating structures and an N th from the 3M mounting floating structure.
• the floating assembly structure 3M is not used to form a floating offshore wind power plant 1, at least not in the immediate future.
• the floating offshore wind farm can comprise N floating offshore wind power plants 1 , (N+1) floating structures are initially provided on the body of water 9, and then N floating offshore wind power plants 1 come from N 3R receiver floating structures, and the last and (N+1) th floating structure will form the 3M mounting floating structure.
• this 3M assembly floating structure possibly with its 4M mast and its 7.700 lifting gear (unless the latter is removed for another use), is stored in a predefined place, and it could for example be:

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• 2020
  • 2020-12-10 FR FR2013023A patent/FR3117553B1/fr active Active
• 2021
  • 2021-11-12 JP JP2023536060A patent/JP2023552909A/ja active Pending
  • 2021-11-12 KR KR1020237022592A patent/KR20230114287A/ko unknown
  • 2021-11-12 WO PCT/FR2021/052003 patent/WO2022123130A1/fr active Application Filing
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